Hello everyone

I've hovered on this post for aaaages, but only now am I polite enough to contribute albeit with a selfish motive!
I've noticed a few posts about job apps and given I'm in the same situation (due to submit this Monday - arrrrrrrrgggggggh), I wondered if anyone had special or unusual insights. I know the market is tough and some people may not want to give away their critical advantage, but I've never spotted anyone on here who does anything like I do (promise!).

Just as an aside - I've already had a full-on proper lecturing job which ended last year (so I could get the thesis finished), and they said the reason they chose me at interview was the fact I was clearly enthusiastic, including when it came to things like student support.
Doesn't help when you can't get an interview though!

Good luck with submitting (up), I'd love to be that close but it's a few months off yet.

All I can tell you is what a few of us were told at a seminar on CVs and cover letters recently. In a situation where most people applying will have the qualifications, the cover letter assumes even more importance. Yes you need the CV to show you have the right qualifications but your cover letter is what will convince potential employers to interview you. We were told that applicants are scored based on their applications but that come interview, everybody goes back to a 'zero' rating. Therefore it is possible to swing the decision at the interview stage.

Other than that we were told to convince them that you will fit into what they already have. Do a bit of background reserach on where you are applying for and don't just put a couple of generic platitudes about why you would like to work there. Name drop in your cover letter or mention specific projects going on there. "Show you are a catalyst, not a journeyman" :-( - I'm quoting the head of a reserach institute on that one!

Best of luck

I'm not at all convinced by the "everyone goes back to zero at interview" argument. It is well known in acadmeic circles that jobs often have someone's name on them but there are rules about having interviewed a certain number of people. Therefore people are interviewed who would only get the job if the preferred candidate really screws up. Has worked once for me when I was already a sessional lecturer at the university (so doing the job) but has subsequently worked against me three times when PhD students at that university have got the job over me (while I got the "if we had two jobs we would have appointed you" speech).

======= Date Modified 22 Feb 2011 09:57:56 =======
I agree in a way Jepsonclough but that's what two Profs told us. We did question it in relation to inside candidates but they stuck to their assertion that it is possible to get offered the job, even if you are not the top candidate on paper. Having said that, there was a job recently in my dept. and from the job description there was only one person (in the whole world!!) who could have gotten it, and he did!! Depressing but that's the real world. However, the two Profs really stressed again and again how important it is to stress how suitable you, not just your qualifications, but you as a person are for that place.

Edit: sorry spelt your name incorrectly Jepsonclough the first time but now amended. That's the problem when you are replying - you can only see the original post, not all the other replies (for me anyway!).